Trump appeals to the military against the press and the courts

Examining recent remarks by Donald Trump suggesting a presidential and military alliance in opposition to the press and the court system, and the broader impacts of this position.

Abstract:

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Excerpts:

Invoking the specter of "radical Islamic terrorists," he darkly accused the press of deliberately downplaying the threat. "Its gotten to the point where it's not even being reported and, in many cases, the very, very dishonest press doesn't want to report it. They have their reasons and you understand that."

Following this suggestion that the press is aiding and abetting the terrorists, Trump promoted his anti-immigrant measures, without referring to them directly, and implicitly criticized the courts for temporarily blocking his anti-Muslim travel ban.

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These developments follow the sinister incident, which remains unexplained and virtually unreported by the media, that occurred toward the beginning of Trump's inaugural address. Ten officers from the various services lined up behind Trump and remained there long enough for the image of the new president flanked by uniformed military men to be broadcast across the country and internationally. This was no accident, but rather a calculated maneuver devised by Trump and advisers such as Bannon to present an image of a quasi-military government, prepared to crack down on opposition at home and wage war against multiple enemies abroad.